Utility tongs



1952 R. J. UNDERWOOD ET AL 2,522,917

UTILITY TONGS Filed Oct. 30, 1947 INVENTORS: 'fiqyJ Madam/0005 ajazzgigvmafiwrcg ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES @jfw Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UTILITY TONGS Roy J. Underwood and Samuel Evans Pierce, Langhorne, Pa.

Application October 30, 1947, Serial No. 783,168

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to tongs. More particularly it is concerned with tongs useful, for example, in lifting hot covers from cooking potsand pans, withdrawing filled preserve jars from sterilizing kettles, etc.

The chief aim of our invention is to provide a device of the kind referred to which is light, for ease of manipulation and application to the object which is to be lifted; which is capable of firmly gripping and holding the object; of which the parts are so constructed and arranged as to preclude contact of the users hand with the object either at the time of application or incident to subsequent deposit of the object; and which, moreover, lends itself to ready manufacture in quantity at relatively small cost.

Other aims and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a pair of tongs conveniently embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in plan looking as indicated by the angled arrows II-II in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in section taken as indicated by the angled arrows III-III in Fig. 1.

As herein illustrated, our improved tongs are characterized by having two components 5 and 6 respectively with opposing jaw portions 5a and Ea which are substantially of semi-circular configuration and of relatively large radius, and which are connected by a pivot 'l. The component 5, it will be noted, is formed with an integral operating shank prolongation 5b which extends substantially at a tangent to the curved jaw portion 5a through the pivot l. The component 8 is likewise formed with an integral operating shank prolongation 6b, the same being however substantially at right angles to the, tangent of the curved jaw portion 6a through the pivot I, and extends in the direction of the shank prolongation 5a of the component 5. In other words, the handle shanks 5b and 6b extend substantially at right angles from the region of interpivoting, to a vertical plane centrally of the jaws 5a, 6a passing through the pivot 1. The two components 5 and 6 of the device are in practice die stamped or otherwise fashioned from relatively stout plate metal as may be found convenient or desirable, and the operating shanks 5b and b are provided with handles 8 and 9 of a suitable insulation such as wood or plastic which are suitably shaped for firm and comfortable grasping in one hand. Welded to the ends of the jaw portions a and 6a are oppositely curved transversely arranged opposite arcuate grip portions 50 and 60.

A coil spring l9 whereof the extremities Illa and 1012 are respectively connected to the shank prolongations 5a and 6a of the two components 5 and 6 adjacent the pivot 1 in the interval between them acts to normally keep the handles 8 and 9 separated, with the jaws 5a and 6a open as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig.1.

To use the device in removing the cover or lid C (Fig. 1) from a cooking pot or pan, it is applied with its jaws 5a and to open to span the knob K of the cover. The handles 8 and 9 are thereupon pressed together with resultant closing of the jaws 5a and 5a and gripping of the knob K by the opposing end portions 50 and 60 as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2. Due to the liberal proportioning of the jaws 5a and 9a and disposal of the handles 8 and 9 as hereinbefore described, it will be seen that the cover C can be lifted off without the possibility of the users hand coming into contact with the lid and being burned. The disposal of the handles 8 and 9 is moreover such that the engaged cover is supported horizontally at an arms length thereby making its removal and subsequent deposit quick and easy of accomplishment, during which operation sidewise slippage of the cover is precluded by reason of the opposed embracing curvatures of the grip portions 50 and 60.

We claim:

As a new article of manufacture, lifting tongs comprising two fiat interpivoted components fashioned from plate metal with oppositely bowed jaw portions, one component having an operating shank prolongation substantially at a tangent to its jaw through the pivot, and the other component having an operating shank prolongation substantially at right angles at a tangent to its jaw through the pivot and extending in the direction of the shank prolongation of said one component; a coil spring disposed transversely between the shank prclongations with its extremities engaged in the respective prolongation adjacent the pivot; and non-metallic handles respectively affixed to the ends of the shank prolongations and shaped for firm and comfortable grasping in one hand of the user.

ROY J. UNDERWOOD. SAMUEL EVANS PIERCE.

REFERENQES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 663,003 Barger Dec. 4, 1900 1,514,309 Bugg Nov. 4, 1924 1,538,507 Baeumle May 19, 1925 2,421,509 Knapp June 3, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 36,591 Sweden Apr. 29,1914 144,264 Switzerland Mar. 2, 1931 

